People, plastic, and behaviour change - a comment on drivers of plastic pollution, barriers to change and targeted behaviour change interventions

There are many studies considering the use and waste management of plastics but these are primarily focused on recycling. While studies of human interaction with plastics provide some insight into current waste creation and recycling choices, studies on behaviour change and the human relationship to plastic are limited. In this perspective, we pose that understanding individual and community behaviour change is key to determining effective and sustainable drivers of change in the use of plastics. A review of contemporary literature highlights this as a knowledge gap, with only a few studies undertaken which have primarily focused on the theory of planned behaviour and plastic waste. To help support more sustainable and effective plastic use and waste management policy, it is recommended that future research focus on behavioural aspects of the plastic-people relationship with a focus on the Behaviour Change Wheel and the Capability, Opportunity and Motivation model (COM-B), to advance current understanding of individuals' behaviours relating to plastic use and waste. It is suggested that understanding the behavioural elements of the people-plastic relationship is fundamental to identifying effective and sustainable changes in behaviour and the guidance, policies, opportunities, and restrictions that can help achieve change. Environmental significance The challenge of addressing the creation of plastic waste and plastic pollution is complex and is routed in people's relationship with plastic. Plastic still follows a linear economy at present; hurdles in shifiing to a more sustainable and circular economy include difficulties changing people's behaviour. However, the factors driving people's plastic behaviour are understudied, especially through a human behaviour change lens. This perspective paper presents a focused literature assessment identifying that knowledge gap in plastic pollution and the confrontation of the plastic waste problem using behaviour change theories and tools. Specifically, it identifies the potential beneficial implementation of the behaviour change wheel and COM-B tools in identifying plastic behaviour factors and future targeted intervention design.